My Next Big Project: The Craft Room Organization and Remodel
The craft room has always been one of my favorite spaces in our home, but lately it has been quietly telling me that it needs attention. It’s time for a major Craft Room Organization.
Over time, projects piled up, supplies multiplied, and the room that once felt inspiring started to feel a little overwhelming. So I am diving into my next big project, a whole craft room organization and remodel. This is not about making it bigger or more elaborate. It is about creating a space that truly supports creativity, works with how I actually craft, and feels calm, functional, and joyful again.
The Craft Room Organization
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it is that creative spaces are never truly finished. They evolve as we evolve. Our interests change, our skills grow, and sometimes our creative lives outgrow the space we have created for them.
That is precisely what happened with my craft room.
In mid 2023, I made a significant change: I moved my craft room to the third floor. At the time, it felt like a dream come true. I finally had a dedicated space that was separate from the rest of the house, quiet, light-filled, and explicitly designed for making.
When I added my DreamBox from Create Room, it truly changed everything. I could see all of my supplies, access them easily, and keep everything beautifully organized.
As a creative person, seeing my supplies matters. When things are hidden, I forget about them. When they are visible and organized, ideas begin to flow almost immediately. The DreamBox gave me that clarity and made crafting feel joyful again.
For a while, it worked perfectly.
When a Creative Space Starts to Work Against You
Fast forward 18 months.
Somewhere between daily projects, seasonal crafts, blog deadlines, and series like A Handmade Christmas, my craft room quietly shifted from inspiring to overwhelming.
It did not happen overnight. It happened slowly, one project at a time.
I had more supplies than ever before, but fewer places actually to work. Tables became temporary dumping grounds. Supplies migrated from their homes to wherever the current project lived. Work surfaces disappeared beneath piles of fabric, clay tools, paintbrushes, and half-finished ideas.
The breaking point came during A Handmade Christmas.
During that series, I was often working on three projects at once. I know that’s crazy, but I had limited time to get so much done!
One project involved sewing. Another involved clay. The third involved painting.
Instead of sitting down and creating, I found myself constantly setting up and tearing down workstations. I would clear a table to sew, only to move everything again so I could paint. Clay projects needed their own space and time to dry. Nothing could stay out because there was no room.
What should have been joyful and creative became frustrating and inefficient.
I realized I was spending more time preparing to craft than actually crafting.
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The Realization That Changed Everything
That moment forced me to step back and ask a hard question.
Was my craft room still working for me?
The answer was no. Not because it was poorly designed, but because my creative life had changed. I was creating more content, working with more mediums, and often juggling multiple projects at once. My space needed to support that reality.
I did not need more storage alone. I needed more intentional work areas. And I needed permanent stations that could stay set up and ready to go.
Once I saw that clearly, everything else fell into place.
Identifying the Workstations I Truly Needed
The first step in my overhaul was to identify exactly how I craft now, not how I used to. I made a list of the activities I do regularly and the tools each one requires.
Here are the workstations I identified as essential.
- Pottery
- Cricut
- Sewing
- General creating and craft area
- Embroidery – machine and by hand
- Printing and digital art
- Gift wrapping
- Photography – an area with a white surface and a hanging phone holder
- Group crafting area
- Laser cutter
Seeing this list written out was eye-opening. It made it very clear why my previous setup was no longer working. I had been trying to force all of this into a space designed for far fewer activities.
Each of these stations needs its own surface, nearby storage, and the ability to stay set up. That was the missing piece.
Why Permanent Workstations Matter
Permanent workstations change everything.
When your sewing machine is already threaded and ready, you sit down and sew. When embroidery hoops, floss, and needles are within reach, you stitch for ten minutes without thinking twice. When clay tools live next to a dedicated clay surface, you are far more likely to start a project spontaneously.
Creativity thrives when friction is removed.
Temporary setups create hesitation. Permanent setups invite action.
I wanted a craft room where I could walk in, choose a station, and start immediately. No clearing tables. No hauling supplies. And no mental resistance.
Helping Out My DreamBox
The focus of my craft room is my DreamBox. It remains the heart of my storage system and is the perfect reason I can see and access so many supplies. But I realized it could not do everything on its own.
That is when I decided to expand my Create Room system.
I decided to add a DreamStation sewing area so my sewing machine could live in one place permanently. I also decided to add drawer cabinets and additional workstations so each craft type would have supplies stored nearby.
Drawers matter more than you think. When tools are stored exactly where you use them, you stop overbuying, stop misplacing things, and stop wasting time.
This was not about just adding more furniture. It was about creating a system that actually matched how I work.
Planning the Room Before Moving Anything
Before moving a single piece of furniture, I knew I needed a plan.
I used ChatGPT to help me create an empty visual of my craft room. Starting with a blank slate allowed me to think clearly and objectively. From there, I mapped out where each workstation would live, how traffic would flow, and how I could move from one activity to another without chaos.
This planning stage was crucial. In the past, I might have started rearranging impulsively. This time, I wanted every decision to be intentional.
I thought about lighting, power outlets, storage proximity, and how often each station is used. Some areas needed to be central. Others could live along the perimeter.
I even had ChatGPT create some photos of what my craft room could look like. This step alone gave me confidence that the overhaul would genuinely solve the problem rather than create new ones.
These renderings weren’t perfect, but they sure helped me to visualize what the room could look like!
Designing for How I Actually Create Content
My craft room is not just a hobby space. It is where I create content for my blog, Instagram, and seasonal series. That means it has to work hard.
The photography area, for example, need not be elaborate. It simply requires a white surface and a hanging phone holder. But it needs to be accessible so I can quickly capture process shots and finished projects.
The printing and digital art area needs space for paper, printers, and packaging materials. Gift wrapping needs room to spread out and stay organized, especially during the holidays.
Group crafting matters too. Whether I am hosting family, friends, or collaborative projects, having a space where multiple people can work together is essential.
Every station was chosen with real use in mind.
Letting Go of the Idea of a Perfect Craft Room
One thing I had to let go of during this process was the idea that a craft room should always look perfect.
A working craft room should look like work happens there.
Just like my kitchen is a working kitchen because I cook dinner almost every night.
Organization is essential, but functionality matters more. I want my space to feel welcoming, creative, and flexible. It should be able to handle multiple projects without falling apart.
This overhaul is not about making the room look prettier. It is about making it work better.
What This Overhaul Represents
This craft room overhaul represents a shift in how I see my creative life.
I am creating more. I am working with a wide range of materials and machines. And I am juggling more ideas at once. My space needs to support that growth rather than fight against it.
Instead of feeling frustrated by the mess, I chose to see it as a sign that my creativity had outgrown its container. That is not a bad thing. It is an opportunity.
Let the work begin! It’s time to organize and makeover this room.
The Reveal Is Coming Next
This post is the why.
The following post will be the how and the what.
I will be sharing the full reveal of my newly planned craft room, including the new DreamStation sewing area, the added workstations, and how everything fits together. I cannot wait to show you how this space has transformed and how much easier it is to create now.
If you have ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or slowed down by your creative space, I hope this encourages you to step back and reimagine what is possible.
Sometimes, the best way to spark creativity is not by buying more supplies, but by giving your creativity the space it deserves.
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Marvelous! I think you have an idea. Good for you and inspirations for my thought process. I hope it brings you the work environment inspirations you want. Blessings to you in the New Year!
Hi Leslie,
I am so excited to see your new craft space, I know it will be fabulous because everything you do is always amazing. I am also a sewer and when I looked at the before pics, I couldn’t image how you could sew with your machine being in such a small little area. My room is not even close to the size of yours and I don’t do 1/100th of the projects anymore that you do, but my husband built me a large 48” x72” stand up height table that breaks down and can be stored in the closet! I have gotten 1000’s of hours of use out of it making floor to ceiling drapes and so much more. You are always such an inspiration to me and I thank you for the many hours you put into sharing the wonderful things you create and do. Happy New Year
I can’t wait to see it!!!